grahamg
Old codger
- Location
- South of Manchester, UK
I've grown a bit bigger during lockdown, both physically I'm a bit ashamed to say, (as I didn't need enlarging!), and psychologically perhaps, (I'm pleased to say! 
).
This week I've been filling in on a short contract in the south of England, and am now half way through, though how I've made it through in one piece both physically and psychologically is surprising to me and my few friends, as its been an ordeal, long shifts, hours I'm completely unused to, all on top of a long journey down here at six hours notice, and some other stressors on me this week unconnected with work.
The x2 irresistible forces are my two work colleagues, one of whom is another "sort of mate", who have known for forty years, but only worked with on short contracts twice this year, the last time in March when the first lockdown occurred, as he's new to our agency. The second irresistible force is a "mini me" of this guy, in the form of a very hard working, basically very good hearted workaholic, who has been working with her idol for six months, is well educated, though refuses to discuss this aspect of her life when I asked her whether she went to college, and comes from Scotland, though she refuses to allow anyone to speak of this either for reasons I cannot possibly imagine, such a wonderful country "across the border"!
These two think they are going to successfully trammel me into their way of thinking, almost afraid of their own shadow when it comes to the way they interact with our firms clients, and they spend their time working hard, the pair of them to be far, but expending a fair amount of energy chivvying me along, as I reel from the physical challenge, new procedures I cant pretend to have taken in properly, and some of those I do think I understand I'm sceptical about, (a specialist cleaning job I'm talking about), plus at my age and weight I need to go to the toilet more often than convenient, especially when the one we're allowed to use is anything but "convenient".
All this and a pandemic hey, folks losing their jobs all over the place, and when I felt likely to drop off my perch on the fist evening, at the end of the 11 hours shift following little sleep the night before, I was already in a mood to chuck the towel in, especially given the constant nagging I'd been subjected to, and given I'm a bit sensitive to this kind of treatment, especially when combined with my professional competency and nous is being questioned so much.
The agency would have found a replacement to cover next week if they could have done so, when I rang the alarm bells, but I feel some considerable pleasure, oddly enough, that having to face another week "of this paradise", they felt they had enough confidence in me to get through it somehow, (though they know my own mood, and the actions of the two "irresistible forces" are unlikely to change, and there will be maybe even more turbulence next week, - stay posted!).
What normally happens in these circumstances, (equivalent of a messy divorce of some kind, where the couple are forced to live together for a while I'm thinking?)?
).This week I've been filling in on a short contract in the south of England, and am now half way through, though how I've made it through in one piece both physically and psychologically is surprising to me and my few friends, as its been an ordeal, long shifts, hours I'm completely unused to, all on top of a long journey down here at six hours notice, and some other stressors on me this week unconnected with work.
The x2 irresistible forces are my two work colleagues, one of whom is another "sort of mate", who have known for forty years, but only worked with on short contracts twice this year, the last time in March when the first lockdown occurred, as he's new to our agency. The second irresistible force is a "mini me" of this guy, in the form of a very hard working, basically very good hearted workaholic, who has been working with her idol for six months, is well educated, though refuses to discuss this aspect of her life when I asked her whether she went to college, and comes from Scotland, though she refuses to allow anyone to speak of this either for reasons I cannot possibly imagine, such a wonderful country "across the border"!
These two think they are going to successfully trammel me into their way of thinking, almost afraid of their own shadow when it comes to the way they interact with our firms clients, and they spend their time working hard, the pair of them to be far, but expending a fair amount of energy chivvying me along, as I reel from the physical challenge, new procedures I cant pretend to have taken in properly, and some of those I do think I understand I'm sceptical about, (a specialist cleaning job I'm talking about), plus at my age and weight I need to go to the toilet more often than convenient, especially when the one we're allowed to use is anything but "convenient".
All this and a pandemic hey, folks losing their jobs all over the place, and when I felt likely to drop off my perch on the fist evening, at the end of the 11 hours shift following little sleep the night before, I was already in a mood to chuck the towel in, especially given the constant nagging I'd been subjected to, and given I'm a bit sensitive to this kind of treatment, especially when combined with my professional competency and nous is being questioned so much.
The agency would have found a replacement to cover next week if they could have done so, when I rang the alarm bells, but I feel some considerable pleasure, oddly enough, that having to face another week "of this paradise", they felt they had enough confidence in me to get through it somehow, (though they know my own mood, and the actions of the two "irresistible forces" are unlikely to change, and there will be maybe even more turbulence next week, - stay posted!).
What normally happens in these circumstances, (equivalent of a messy divorce of some kind, where the couple are forced to live together for a while I'm thinking?)?
.
